About St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH) is a large teaching hospital affiliated with the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University and Mohawk College. The Mental Health Program at SJHH provides services both within the general hospital site (also known as Charlton Campus) and the nearby West 5th Campus (also known as Mountain Health Services), soon to open as the new Juravinski Centre for Integrated Healthcare. The vision of the new facility is to pioneer innovative models of care that will radically reduce the disability associated with mental illness, and the stigma and barriers that people with mental illness face on a daily basis.

With 200 inpatient mental health beds (and growing), as well as the capacity to serve almost 5,000 outpatients each year, SJHH has become the centre for adult mental health care throughout the central region of Southern Ontario.

Practicum Training

The clinical training faculty at SJHH is committed to providing high quality training opportunities through clinical practica, our APA/CPA accredited predoctoral internship program, and postdoctoral positions. Across the various clinical training settings the following are emphasized: (i) provision of a rich training experience with attention given to providing adequate breadth and depth of client contacts, (ii) provision of high quality supervision, (iii) opportunities to work in multidisciplinary environments. Additionally, through ongoing evaluation of the training needs, strengths, and interests of practicum students, practica will be tailored to maximize individual students’ growth in knowledge of clinical intervention and assessment strategies and the related research, and to facilitate the development of a professional identity. The primary supervisors of all training settings are registered Psychologists.

Eligible students are those currently registered in APA/CPA accredited (or equivalent) clinical, counselling, or school psychology programs. There is considerable flexibility regarding the types of practica available, including assessment, therapy, and opportunities for research. The information on this web page briefly outlines services in which practicum opportunities are currently available. Interested students should review the internship training website for more information about psychology faculty and programs at SJHH. Students may also contact faculty members with any questions about types of practicum experiences available in a particular service.

Practica may be full-time or part-time. Generally, practica begin in May, September or January and run for 16 to 32 weeks.

Applying for a Practicum

Application Deadline:

February 1, 2017: deadline for submission of applications for Spring/Summer 2017 and Fall 2017/Winter 2018. Applications submitted after this deadline will be assessed on an individual basis.

Following a review of applications, students will be informed whether or not they will be invited to participate in an interview (phone interviews will be considered in some circumstances). Decisions about placement will be made following these interviews. Students will be notified of placement decisions on the GTA Common Notification Date by email on a date TBD but typically during the third week of March..

Contents of Application:

To apply for a practicum position in any programme students must electronically submit (1) a curriculum vitae, (2) copies of unofficial undergraduate and graduate transcripts, (3) a letter of recommendation, and (4) a cover letter indicating what aspects of the practicum are of interest and why the student believes the practicum would address their training needs. If you indicate several areas of interest – please rank order your preference up to a maximum of 3 choices.

Please submit all of the above documents electronically in one email to psychologypracticum@stjoes.ca with your name in the subject header followed by Practicum Application 2017-2018. Letters of reference should be emailed by the referee to the same address with your name in the subject header followed by Reference Letter 2017-2018.

General inquiries about the application process can be directed to Dr. Jelena King (contact information below). Students are also encouraged to contact supervisors in various rotations (contact information included in rotation descriptions) for more information about those opportunities.

Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic

The ATRC is an outpatient specialty clinic staffed by a multidisciplinary team consisting of professionals with a background in psychology, psychiatry, nursing, social work, or occupational therapy. The clinic receives more than 3000 new referrals per year, predominantly for assessment and treatment of individuals with panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Some opportunities are also available for working with patients who have other anxiety-related difficulties (e.g., specific phobias, posttraumatic stress disorder, and illness anxiety disorder). Supervision is provided by registered Psychologists (Drs. Randi McCabe, Karen Rowa, Irena Milosevic, Brenda Key, and Jenny Hewitt).There are opportunities for practicum training during the summer and during the academic year.

Training experiences may include:

Thorough training in diagnostic interviewing using the Diagnostic Assessment Research Tool (DART), initially including observing three interviews, conducting three interviews under observation, and then conducting additional interviews independently, under supervision.

Opportunities to observe treatment being delivered or to provide co-therapy with an experienced clinician.

Opportunity to co-lead a group for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder with an experienced clinician (as well as weekly supervision meetings to discuss the group sessions).

Weekly 2-hour group supervision meetings to discuss assessment cases seen over the course of the previous week.

Clinical Neuropsychology Service

The Clinical Neuropsychology Service (CNS) provides comprehensive assessment of the cognitive functioning and neurological integrity of a wide range of adult inpatients and outpatients including those with medical (e.g., brain injury, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases), developmental (e.g., autistic spectrum, learning disorders), psychiatric (e.g., schizophrenia, mood/anxiety) and substance abuse disorders. The service emphasizes the neurobiological underpinnings of these conditions and attempts to integrate neuropsychological findings into the diagnostic and treatment considerations of the multidisciplinary team.

The Neuropsychology rotation includes opportunities for training under the supervision of 7 registered psychologists specializing in neuropsychology (Drs. Christina Gojmerac, Bruno Losier, Jelena King, Emily MacKillop, Stephanie McDermid Vaz, Margaret McKinnon, & Heather McNeely) and two psychometrists (Catherine Dool, Mike Mosher); all of whom are actively engaged in research and evidenced-based practices and provide centralized neuropsychological and psychodiagnostic assessment services to SJHH medical and psychiatric programs. These include but are not limited to: (1) the Schizophrenia Service; (2) The Cleghorn Early Intervention in Psychosis Program; (3) Forensic Program; (4) Mood Disorders Program; (5) Geriatric Mental Health; and (6) referrals from medical programs such as Respirology, Nephrology, and Neurology.

Training experiences may include:

Medical chart reviews and literature reviews of pertinent evidenced-based practices and research outcomes.

Introducing patients and their family members to assessment procedures, reviewing limits of confidentiality, and obtaining informed consent.

Summarizing the relevant aspects of the assessment in a clinical report.

Providing patients, caregivers, hospital staff, and team members with feedback regarding the results, implications, and recommendations from each assessment.

Participating in multidisciplinary team meetings to assist in the assessment, treatment planning, and evaluation of outcomes for patients.

Attend and present at bi-weekly Neuropsychology Seminar Series.

Attend weekly Psychiatry Rounds.

Opportunities for participation in research are also available.

Please Note: Students applying for a practicum to the CNS are expected to have completed at least one graduate level course relevant to the practice of neuropsychology (e.g., intellectual and/or neuropsychological assessment, intervention).

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

SJHH has implemented a strategic plan to provide people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) with an empirically validated treatment. This treatment is based on a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) framework, which was originally developed by Marsha Linehan. DBT is recognized to be an effective best practice approach that supports both people with BPD and clinical care teams in providing a consistent approach to care.

Practicum students will have the opportunity to co-lead DBT Skills Group and provide skills coaching in an outpatient DBT program. Practicum students will learn how to conduct assessments to diagnose BPD and to assess for the presence of suicidal and non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors. In addition, practicum students will have the opportunity to attend interdisciplinary consultation teams and provide additional training/consultation as needed. Students may have an opportunity to conduct individual therapy (for practicum students with advanced psychotherapy skills only and contingent on supervisor availability).

Supervision is provided by registered Dr. Lisa Burckell. This practicum is designed to teach students how to conceptualize and to treat the complex, multi-diagnostic problems that individuals with BPD experience.

Please Note: A one-year commitment is required in order to be eligible to participate in this practicum opportunity. Only advanced students will be considered for this practicum.

Training Experiences may include:

Practicum students will learn and participate in the following components that comprise outpatient DBT: 1) skills training; 2) consultation team; 3) skills coaching. As noted above, individual therapy opportunities may be available depending upon supervisor availability and applicant experience.

Supervision will focus on 1) case conceptualization from a DBT perspective, including application of the biosocial model and behavioral principles, and 2) application of DBT strategies

After completion of the practicum, students will possess knowledge of strategies to work effectively with challenging, complex, and difficult-to-engage clients in an outpatient setting

Early Intervention in Young Adult Mental Health

Youth Wellness Centre

The Youth Wellness Centre (YWC) is a new service that focuses on youth ages 17-25 years experiencing either emerging or complex and ongoing mental health difficulties, with the goal of rapid assessment, treatment, and recovery. This service has been identified as a key strategic direction for the hospital. The YWC is an independent, youth-based clinic located in downtown Hamilton, that is linked both to primary care and community referral sources, and to specialized mental health services within St. Joseph’s Healthcare. Two primary streams of the YWC are Early Intervention for early stage mental health difficulties, and Transition Support for ongoing and complex cases. Both streams are intended to ease and expedite access to services and resources, improve continuity and coordination of care, and advocate and support youth and their families. The YWC includes an integrated program of research and evaluation led by faculty members from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University. This practicum training is supervised by Dr. Juliana Tobon, who is actively engaged in research and evidenced-based practices. As a practicum student, you would have the opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary team, including a psychologist, psychiatrist, nurse care coordinators, transition coach, family educators, youth mentors, and an occupational therapist. There are opportunities for practicum training during the summer and during the academic year.

Training experiences may include:

Training in comprehensive assessment using structured clinical interview and validated assessment measures for youth ages 17-25 years. Assessment will include writing a brief report, determining clinical stage of care, and developing a treatment plan, under supervision.

Providing youth, caregivers, and team members with feedback regarding the results, implications, and recommendations from each assessment

Opportunities to provide brief individual cognitive behavioral treatment to youth presenting with a range of mental health and addictions concerns.

Opportunity to co-lead a group for substance use (e.g., motivational interviewing) and early stage mental health problems with an experienced clinician (as well as weekly supervision meetings to discuss the group sessions).

Eating Disorders

The Eating Disorders Clinic at St. Joseph's Healthcare is the regional centre for the treatment of adults with eating disorders in the Central South region of Ontario, providing consultation and treatment to approximately 240 patients annually. The program offers services to patients with a range of eating disorders, including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, and the spectrum of disordered eating understood as Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders. As a practicum student, you would have the opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary team, including three psychologists, a psychiatrist, a nurse practitioner, two registered dietitians and a psychometrist.

Training experiences may include:

Training in diagnostic interviewing using a semi-structured interview for eating disorders, as well as integrating information from self-report inventories into diagnostic reports and patient feedback

Forensic Psychology

The Forensic Service at SJHH offers general and secure inpatient services as well as outpatient services.The Forensic rotation includes opportunities for training under the supervision of 4 registered psychologists specializing in forensics (Drs. Mini Mamak, Heather Moulden, Kaitlyn McLachlan and Peter Sheridan.

Training experiences may included:

Training in diagnostic interviewing for both Axis I and Axis II disorders

Training in the assessment of Fitness to Stand Trial and Criminal Responsibility

Training in the assessment of risk for reoffending and violence

Opportunity to provide psychological assessments, using a wide range of psychological measures

Psychological Intervention: Training in individual short term (e.g., 6-8 sessions), CBT-based interventions is available in all 4 settings listed above. Additionally, with the exception of the CL service, all settings have the capacity for training in group-based treatments. Groups are short-term and typically a combination of CBT and health education (e.g., CBT for menopausal symptoms in women; CBT insomnia; CBT/health education group for patients with lung diseases; CBT for weight management and binge eating in bariatrics).

Inter-professional Care: All settings provide training in working with other health care professionals and may include attendance at various team meetings or case conferences to address client needs and facilitate referrals.

Please Note: Only more senior students will be considered for this practicum (e.g., students who have completed at least one practicum involving treatment). Students interested in bariatrics of diabetes clinics require previous training and experience in conducting psychodiagnostic assessments.

Mood Disorders

The Mood Disorders Program employs a multidisciplinary team of psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, vocational rehabilitation therapists, recreational therapists and occupational therapists who assess and treat individuals with unipolar depression, bipolar disorders, and related conditions. Learners gain experience with structured diagnostic interviewing for DSM-5 disorders (both inpatient and outpatient), as well as individual and group therapy. Some opportunity exists to administer psychodiagnostic testing (e.g., personality and intellectual assessments) depending on the goals and interests of the learner. The primary treatment orientation on this rotation is cognitive behavioural, based on empirically validated protocols for the full spectrum of depressive and bipolar disorders and co-morbid conditions. Learners may also have the opportunity to be involved in delivering other forms of therapy (e.g. mindfulness based cognitive therapy, behavioural activation, running therapy, brief emotion regulation skills).

In addition to the clinical service, the mood disorders program incorporates a large, well-funded and internationally renowned research facility that investigates the causes and treatment of mood disorders. The current projects are always changing and learners have the opportunity to collaborate with on-going research or develop a (brief) novel project.

Opportunities to provide individual cognitive behavioral treatment to patients suffering from a range of mood disorders.

Opportunities to observe treatment being delivered or to provide co-therapy with an experienced clinician.

Weekly individual supervision meetings (at least one hour) during which individual treatment cases, assessment cases, and professional development are discussed.

Opportunities for additional supervision meetings as needed.

Access to both hospital-wide and clinic-specific libraries stocked with relevant materials, videos, and other material.

Training in assessment and diagnostic interviewing for complex presentations with multiple comorbidities.

Training experiences are most suited to advanced learners; however, we are also able to accommodate learners who are earlier in their training. Applications are accepted for placements in both summer and academic terms/semesters.

Schizophrenia Services

Schizophrenia and Community Integration Services at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton is a large service which includes three inpatient wards and two outpatient services (Schizophrenia Outpatient Clinic and the Cleghorn program) for individuals with schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum related disorders. Primary practicum training is in inpatient services which includes psychological assessments, intervention and consultation.

Opportunity to provide inpatient and outpatient individual psychotherapy to persons with serious mental illness. Training can be provided in a number of different modalities, including interpersonal, CBT, supportive.

Opportunity to co-lead a psychotherapy group for person's experiencing auditory hallucinations and delusions.